1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to skates. More particularly, the invention pertains to an improved skate frame for use with in-line roller skates and method of forming same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the sport of in-line roller skating, the desirability of a skate formed with an aluminum chassis or frame is well established due to the superior strength and stiffness of such a frame over other prior art frame constructions, such as those using molded plastic. Accordingly, a majority of racing and professional in-line skate chassis are made of aluminum which also allow a skater to perform better with less wheel scrubbing. Unfortunately, due to the high cost of producing prior art aluminum frames in comparison to other known frames, the market for these superior aluminum frame skates remains mainly for the professional skater or racer.
As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the in-line skate frame and method of forming same of the present invention differs from those previously proposed and employs a number of novel features that render it highly advantageous over the aforementioned prior art.